Bottle-stopper.



Patented May l3, I902.

.1. HEARD. BOTTLE STOPPEB.

(Application filed Aug. 6, 1901') (No Model.)

AATTO IN VE N TOR 7129 071? UNITED STATES :YPAT-ENIT OFFICE.

JOHN HEARD, OF STRATHROY, CANADA.

BOTTLE-STOPPER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent no. 700,043, dated May 13, 1902. J

Application filed August 6, .1901I Serial No. 71,076. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN HEARD, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of Strathroy, in the Province ofOntario andby means of some device or attachment, there by expanding the lower end of the body; so that it will fit tightly in the bottle-neck.

The invention consists in the novel con struction and combination, of the. several parts,as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the aocompanyin g drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical section; through the neck of abottle andavertical section through the improved stopper. Fig. 2-is a-vertical section through the body of-the stopper, as shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isavertical section through a slightly-modified form of stopper. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a stopper difiering slightly in construction from the forms shown in the other views. .1

The neckA of the bottle itQ'WhlGh the stop per is applied may be of any suitable or customary form. The stopper practically consists of four partsnamely, a body-section B, a plug or expanding section 0, a cap-section D, and a locking-bar E, carried by the capsection and having connection with the plug or expanding section. The parts may be made of any suitable or approved material,

and the exterior of the body-section, which section is adapted to enter the neck of a bottle, conforms exteriorlytothe interior for mation of the neck. I

The body-section'B is provided with a con ical recess llin-its bottom portion and with a bore 10, which extends from the recess 11 longitudinally through the body-section to.

the top thereof, as shown in Fig. 2. When the stopper is constructed as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the conical recess 11 in the bottom of the body-section is made of such width at'the bottom as to provide the body at its ,bottom portion with a feather-edge 12, which itselfto any inequalities which may occur in the inner face of the neck; but the band 13 is not absolutely necessary and may be dispensedwith.- The plug-section O is adapted to enter and slide in the conical recess 11 and conforms-to said recess, said plug-section 0 being of conical form, and this plug-section may or maynotbe provided with an exterior elastic band at its bottom portion in order that the plug-section" may also by pressing against the inner surface of the flange or feather-edge of the body expand the same, and thus accommodate it to any inequalities in the inner face of the neck of the bottle. This plug-section is usually provided at its upper central portion with a nut 14:, adapted to receive the threaded lower portion 15 of the locking-bar E, which locking-bar, under the constructionshown in Fig. 1, is provided with a head 16, which is secured in the cap D in any suitable-or approved manner.

In operation the plug G is loosely placed in position in the conical recessll of the body B. The locking-bar, attached to the cap D orotherwise, is passed down through the bore 10 inthe body of the stopper. until the thread edlowerportion 15 of the locking-bar enters the nut 14* in the plug 0 or a threaded aper- 'ture produced directly in the plug, or Vice stopper is ready to be inserted in the neck of the bottle, into which it is forcedso far as de- -si rable.- ,Then by turning the cap 1) the locking-bar E is screwed into the plug1C,*drawing thesaid plug up into the recess-llof the body B of the stopper, thereby expanding the feather-edge section 12 of the body. of the stopperand causing the lower portion of the .saidbody to be brought into firm and binding engagement with the neck, so that the stopper cannot be removed unless the plug Chas been carried downward from the body. When the stopper is to be removed, the cap D is turned in a reverse direction, partially unscrewing the locking-bar E from the expanding-plug O or cap D, and when the cap D is removed a certain distance from the top of the body of the stopper the cap is given a quick sharp blow or firm pressure downward, which will dislodge the expanding-plug O and carry it from engagement with the bottom of the body of the stopper, enabling the stopper,with all the parts, to be removed from the bottle.

It is obvious that a stopper of this description may be readily rendered aseptic and that the stopper may be repeatedly used until all of its parts have become worn out.

The stopper described is capable of various modifications in its construction, and two additional forms of said stopper are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Under the construction shown in Fig. 3 the feather-edge is omitted from the bottom portion of the body B of the stopper, and the bottom edge surrounding the recess 11 is made straight, as shown at 17 in said Fig. 3. This straight or fiat portion of the bottom of the body engages with a round elastic ring or washer 19, fitted upon or above a shoulder 18 at the bottom of the plug, and the locking-bar E is provided with a bottom thread 15 and with an upper thread 20, or otherwise, as shown in Fig. 1 the lower thread 15 entering directly into the expanding-plug C and may be attached to and carried by it, while the upper thread is made to enter a nut 20 in the cap D or a threaded aperture in the said cap, as may be desired. Under this form of stopper when it is placed in the neck of a bottle and the cap D is screwed down the plug 0 is drawn up in the recess 11 in the body of the stopper and the elastic or yielding washer 19 is compressed and is forced against the inner face of the neck of the bottle, thus preventing the stopper from being withdrawn until tension on the washer 19 is removed.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a form of stopper which is particularly adapted for use in connection with large vessels, in which the body B is provided with a feather-edge 12 at its bottom and likewise has the bottom conical recess 11; but the expanding-plug C, which enters the recess 11, is provided with an integral shank E, corresponding to the locking-bar E, (shown in the other views,) and a thread 21 is produced at the upper end of the shank E, which thread enters a threaded aperture 22 in the cap D. Thus as the cap is turned down on the body of the stopper the expanding-plug is drawn upward in the recess 11 in the body of the stopper, and the lower portion of the body is expanded or is forced outward to a locking engagement with the neck of the vessel in which the stopper may be placed. Elastic bands may be applied to this form of a stopper also. It will be understood that any other form of locking device may be substituted for the bar E, capable of producing a like result.

It is apparent that the invention is applicable as a bung for casks of various kinds.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The improved bottlestopper comprising a body having a conical recess in its lower portion, the walls of the latter being tapered or beveled and the end of the same being flat as described, a conical plug conformed to and adapted to entersaid recess and having an integral shaft provided with a cap for operating it, an expansible ring or washer interposed between the flat end of the walls of the body and a shoulder of the plug, whereby upon rotating the cap the plug is drawn into the said recess and the ring or washer expanded as described.

2. In bottle-stoppers, a body-section provided with a conical recess in its bottom portion, a conical plug adapted to enter the said recess, an elastic band located at the exterior of the parts of the body and compressed by the action of the said plug when entering the recess in the body, a locking device connected with the plug, and a cap above the body of the stopper, likewise attached to the locking device, and through the medium of which cap the locking-bar is manipulated, as described. I

3. A bottle-stopper, consisting of a body provided with a recess in its bottom, an expansible ring at the lower portion of said body, an'expanding-plug which enters the recess in the body, the entering portion of the plug being formed correspondingly to the inner contour of the said recess, a lockingbar connected with the plug, and a cap above the body, connected with the locking-bar and adapted in its operation to draw the plug upward in the said recess through the medium of the locking-bar, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN HEARD.

Witnesses:

F. T. ROBINSON, R. DUMHILL. 

